Community-Based Learning Commons^™

Shadow Garments: Costume Creation For Integrating Alienated Parts Of The Self, Mega M. Galvin

Art Therapy | Master's Theses

This study explores costume creation as a narrative-based intervention for integrating "shadow" parts, or aspects of the self that are repressed or alienated due to shame, trauma, or social pressure. Grounded in Jungian analytic psychology, narrative therapy, and expressive arts theory, the research addresses the limitations of traditional talk therapy in accessing somatic memory and proposes costume making as a pathway for externalization and re-authorship. Using a qualitative, participatory study inspired by Pat B. Allen’s Open Studio Process, four adult participants engaged in a three-session workshop to design, construct, and wear costumes representing their identified shadow aspects. Data was collected …

Nourishing Births: A Program Evaluation Proposal For Community-Based Nutrition Education, Food Access, And Garden Engagement Among Black Birthing People, Naa Deedei-Vera Hammond

Master's Projects and Capstones

Black birthing people in the United States continue to experience unequal maternal health outcomes, shaped in part by racism and barriers to nutritious food, culturally relevant health education, and supportive community spaces. While prenatal nutrition education and food assistance programs can provide important resources, information alone cannot address the challenges many people face when trying to access healthy and affordable food during pregnancy. The Nourishing Births Initiative is a proposed community-based maternal health program designed to respond to these needs by bringing together prenatal nutrition education, help connecting to food resources, community gardening, and peer support for Black birthing people …

Humanity, Ai, And The Pedagogy Of Vince Gilligan’S Pluribus, J. Scarlett Kingsley

Dialogue: The Interdisciplinary Journal of Popular Culture and Pedagogy

This review discusses the tv show Pluribus as a contemporary television narrative that functions as an allegory for artificial intelligence and its implications for human meaning-making. Centering on Carol Sturka, one of thirteen individuals immune to a alien global virus that merges humanity into a cooperative “Hive Mind”, the series explores tensions between autonomy and collective well-being in a “peaceful apocalypse.” The analysis argues that the Hive Mind reflects key concerns surrounding AI, including the production of knowledge without understanding, personalization without discernment, and efficiency that bypasses the struggle through which meaning is formed. Drawing on John Searle’s distinction between …

Book Review: The History And Politics Of Star Wars: Death Stars And Democracy, Petra Hendrickson

Dialogue: The Interdisciplinary Journal of Popular Culture and Pedagogy

Book Review: The History and Politics of Star Wars: Death Stars and Democracy

Connected But Disconnected: A Covid-19 Youth Participatory Action Research Study, Vianney Atugonza, Jodi Dworkin, Stacey S. Horn, Joanna A. Tzenis, Samantha Lebouef

Journal of Youth Development

In 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic forced most schools across the U.S. to close and transition to remote learning. Families were forced to transform their homes into classrooms while facing challenges to their health, finances, and social connections. To better understand how young people experienced these changes, a Youth Participatory Action Research (YPAR) project was employed to engage young people in naming, exploring, and sharing their experiences during this time. Nine high school youth leaders were trained as researchers to conduct interviews with their peers. These youth scholars were also trained on how to code, sort, and disseminate data and results. …

Exploring 21st-Century Skills In A Summer Camp: A Qualitative Methodological Triangulation Approach, Alexander Bowman, Jing Song

Journal of Youth Development

Despite the recognized importance of 21st-century skills and the substantial body of research on these skills, little is known about how to identify growth in these skills. The lack of reliable methods to measure 21st-century skill growth presents a challenge for the design of relevant learning environments and for evaluating if such learning environments are effective. Using a qualitative methodological triangulation approach, this study explored camp counselors’ learning processes. Using a systematic data integration method, field observations were synthesized with participant reflections about how their skills develop. Data were collected from 13 high-school-aged junior camp counselors at a summer camp …

Becoming Who I Am: How Youth Leadership Experiences Shape Lifelong Leadership Journeys, Dustin Evatt, Deborah Acker, Parker R. Watson, Jennifer T. Peters

Journal of Youth Development

Youth leadership experiences have the power to shape individuals’ values, identities, and leadership behaviors well into adulthood, yet limited empirical research has examined how these formative experiences contribute to leadership development over time. This study examines the long-term impact of youth leadership experiences using the six-stage Leadership Identity Development (LID) model as a guiding and interpretive framework by exploring the journeys of alumni from the Shelton Challenge, a six-day immersive high school leadership program at NC State University rooted in values-based and positive youth development (PYD) principles. Using narrative inquiry, we conducted interviews and focus groups with 30 alumni ages …

4-H Program Staff Perceptions Of Including Youth With Disabilities, Brittney Muschetto, Amy Leman

Journal of Youth Development

This study’s focus is to examine 4-H youth development county program staff’s perceptions of the inclusion of youth with disabilities in the Illinois 4-H program. The majority of program staff identified positive perceptions about including youth with disabilities in 4-H. However, they also noted that there was a need for more staff training to adequately include youth with disabilities in 4-H programming. As more youth are being diagnosed with disabilities, 4-H must continue to improve its knowledge and skills to make 4-H inclusive to all youth.

A Hip-Hop-Based Workshop Cultivates Urban Underserved Youths’ Critical Consciousness Around Food Systems, Jacob Rowell, Hannah Scherer, Kim Niewolny, Anthony Kwame Harrison, Kendrick Spencer

Journal of Youth Development

Hip hop is social commentary and critique that highlights the complexity of issues within society, including systemic inequity in the food system, which disproportionately affects urban and African American populations. After-school and non-formal programs are innovative educational opportunities to engage youth in learning about and addressing local problems through culturally-relevant program design and enactment of critical pedagogy. To meaningfully connect middle-school-aged urban youth, their lived experiences, and inequities in the food system, we designed a hip-hop-based workshop and delivered it in an established afterschool program. In this qualitative case study, we explored participants’ critical consciousness related to the food system …

A Billion People In The Shadows: Understanding Disability, Kelly Dziak

Journal of Youth Development

The disability community is the largest minority group and encompasses people of all ages and backgrounds. Despite its size, members of this community frequently encounter social, educational, and economic barriers that limit opportunities for full participation. Youth development programs have the potential to support skill-building and foster a sense of belonging. However, professionals often face challenges to effectively support individuals with disabilities including limited training and accessibility barriers. A Billion People in the Shadows: The Ultimate 1-Hour Guide to Understanding Disability by Doug McCullough provides practical guidance for improving understanding and support for this population. Drawing on personal experiences with …

Table Of Contents, Journal Of Youth Development

Journal of Youth Development

No abstract provided.

4-H Builds Work Readiness Skills In Youth, Mike Knutz

Journal of Youth Development

4-H Programs provide work readiness skills like teamwork, respect, leadership, critical thinking, work ethics, and communication. Supported studies are highlighted as well as results from an evaluation of youth participants from a Know Your Government statewide program. Data was collected from middle and high school age youth to measure their self-reported increase in work readiness skills as well as knowledge of government. Results are discussed in terms of their relevance to life skill theory and measurement. The study supports the value of 4-H Youth Development Programs as a means for youth to acquire work readiness skills.

Teaching Personal And Social Responsibility Through A Mountain Biking After-School Program, Kayla Marsh, Kelly L. Simonton, Victoria Shiver, Tristan Wallhead

Journal of Youth Development

The Teaching Personal and Social Responsibility (TPSR) model has been identified as an evidence-based structure that can support social-emotional learning (SEL) competencies in after-school settings. However, much of the research includes general physical fitness and skill activity-based programs, and not activities students identify with as meaningful in their lives. The current study targeted a mountain biking afterschool-program which has the potential to promote meaningful transfer of knowledge and skills. The purpose of this study was two-fold: (a) to explore adolescents’ beliefs and understandings of SEL skills in a mountain biking TPSR program and (b) to explore the perceptions of potential …

Full Issue, Volume 21, Issue 3, Journal Of Youth Development

Journal of Youth Development

No abstract provided.

Joining Forces:A Research-Practice Partnership For Out-Of-School Time, Julián C. Alonso Restrepo, Trevor Bopp, Diedre F. Houchen, Chanae Jackson, Sunshine Moss, Rose M. Pringle, Christine Wegner

Journal of Youth Development

This article describes the development and early implementation of the Youth Development Research-Practice Partnership (YDRPP), a collaboration between university researchers and the Better Out-of-School Time (BOOST) Alliance in Alachua County, Florida. Established to address persistent racial and socioeconomic disparities affecting youth, the partnership used a collaborative qualitative assessment to identify local youth needs, program strengths, and organizational challenges. Findings revealed that practitioners viewed academic support, mental health, social-emotional development, positive adult relationships, physical activity, life skills, and workforce preparation as the most pressing needs of youth. Programs responded through holistic offerings that included tutoring, mentoring, trauma-informed practices, recreation, career readiness, …

Why Sports Participation Matters For Girls In Urban Core Public Schools, David Mcleod, Angela B. Pharris, David Crynes, Emmy Hufnagel, Eddie Wright, Sabrina Hynd, Tim Mclaughlin

Journal of Youth Development

Sports participation plays a critical role in supporting academic success, school engagement, and social-emotional well-being, particularly for girls in urban core public school settings. This study examines the relationship between athletic participation and academic outcomes, attendance, and social-emotional functioning in a large urban public school district during the post-COVID period. Findings indicate that student-athletes outperform non-athlete peers across multiple indicators, including grade point average, enrollment in advanced coursework, and school attendance. Female athletes, in particular, demonstrate stronger academic performance and more favorable social-emotional outcomes compared to female non-athletes. Despite these advantages, a pronounced decline in girls’ sports participation occurs between …

Community-Based Research: Key Considerations For Researchers And Community Partners When Collaborating, Bothwell Piason, Kathleen A. Fox

The Qualitative Report

Community-based research (CBR) is a research orientation that emphasizes equitable engagement in the process of knowledge production, though researchers and community partners may navigate collaborative partnerships with differing expectations, priorities, and understandings of success. Extant research has demonstrated that successful CBR partnerships can benefit both researchers and community partners, yet little is known about how both groups simultaneously conceptualize successful collaboration across diverse partnership contexts. In this study, we ask: What considerations do researchers and community partners identify as important when engaging in community-based research partnerships? Drawing on semi-structured interviews with 10 university researchers and 10 community partners engaged in …

“When I’M Not Heard, I Feel Like I Don’T Matter”: Advancing Equity In Disability Policy Through Critical Participatory Action Research With People With Intellectual Disability, Cris Marchionne

Student Theses

People with intellectual disability deserve a system that offers flexible, timely, and person-centered support — one that is innovative, sustainable, and holistic in enabling them to live fulfilling lives. This qualitative study, grounded in Critical Participatory Action Research (CPAR), examines how people with intellectual disability experience participation in decision-making within New York State's disability service system. By centering lived experience, the study identifies factors that facilitate or hinder participation in decision-making and examines structural, social, and policy-related barriers that limit agency. Through six focus groups and a Photovoice project with self-advocates receiving OPWDD services, participants described systemic barriers that limited …

Supporting Children's Mental Health Through Early Prevention: The Role Of Human Service Professionals, Antwan Kimmons

Master of Arts in Human Services

The mental health of children is a growing concern around the world. According to the World Health Organization (2025), mental health conditions affect approximately one in seven adolescents aged 10–19 years; however, many of these young people do not get the help they need. Mental health problems can affect a child’s ability to learn, manage emotions, develop relationships and cope with stress at home, school and in the community. This review of the literature speaks to the promise of early prevention, early intervention, and trauma-informed care to support children’s mental health before issues develop into more serious levels. It also …

Paragliding The Cliff Edge: Introducing Open Mic Studies. A Creative Response To Navigating The Post-18 Landscape For Young Adults With Send., James Tarling, Charlie Robinson, Nick Hall, Sammy Shepherd

Plymouth Interdisciplinary Education Open Journal

This conceptual article investigates novel ways of thinking about Open Mic Nights (OMN) – performance spaces understood as free, community arts and performance opportunities where the members of the public are welcome to perform music, poetry and comedy in front of an audience. For the purposes of this article, music-related OMN that take place in pubs or community centres are discussed.

The article is intended to be a primer for OMN studies that offers new and emerging trailheads for future research and discussion. Its central focus is how OMN may benefit the Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) community with …

Remixing Dialogue: A Case Study On Perceptions Of Hip Hop Pedagogy In A Professional Learning Course, Kelly J. Thelen

Dissertations, Theses, and Projects

This qualitative case study examines how teachers’ decision-making and professional autonomy shift while participating in a Hip Hop Pedagogy Professional Learning course supported by structured FIXIT (Lo & Wachter, 2023a, 2023b, 2023c, 2023d; Wachter & Lo, 2024) game-facilitated dialogue in a rural, culturally and linguistically diverse Midwest community. Grounded in Freire’s (1970) Critical Pedagogy, Ladson-Billings’ (1995) Culturally Relevant Pedagogy, Culturally Sustaining Pedagogy (Paris and Alim, 2017), and Adult Learning Theory (Knowles et al., 2005), the study explores the reclamation of agency by teachers in a time of constrained creativity and educator autonomy shaped by strict policy environments, an emphasis on …

Review Of Supernatural: A History Of Television’S Unearthly Road Trip By Erin Giannini, Duane Ebesu

Dialogue: The Interdisciplinary Journal of Popular Culture and Pedagogy

No abstract (book review)

Assessing Knowledge Levels And Learning Preferences Among Organic Grain Farmers And Professionals; The Experience Of The University Of Wisconsin Ograin Program, Lauren Asprooth, Claire G Stedden, Evelyn Hammond, Ayse Okur, Erin Silva

Journal of Extension

With lagging domestic supplies of organic grains, transitioning from conventional to organic grain production is needed, but can be a daunting challenge for farmers. The OGRAIN program began at the University of Wisconsin–Madison in 2015 to support increased organic grain production in the Midwest. We surveyed 429 OGRAIN participants to assess the most accessed resources, areas of knowledge change, and areas for program improvement. Participants highlighted the importance of networking and the need for additional marketing resources. Differences were found in programming preferences by organic farming experience. These results can improve our understanding of how to best support organic grain …

Nh Ece Research Consortium Community Stakeholder Map, Jess Carson, Evan England, Rachel Filippone, Elizabeth Belsito

New Hampshire Early Care and Education Research Consortium

New Hampshire's early care and education (ECE) ecosystem is complex and includes a broad, dynamic community of people and organizations who contribute to and rely upon ECE research. This visual stakeholder "map" documents the community-based organizations that support NH ECE. These maps rely on contributions, updates, and refinements from the field and are meant to be a shared resource reflecting the complexity of partnerships in NH's ECE ecosystem.

Expanding The Cognitive Attentional Standards Platform Through Artificial Influence Assessment (Aia): Rationale, Development, And Measurement Design, Delante Clark

Graduate Scholarship and Creative Works

Artificial intelligence is increasingly shaping how individuals access information, make decisions, and interact with digital environments. The Cognitive Attentional Standards Platform (C.A.S.) was developed to assess attention related harms, cognitive safety, digital autonomy, and platform influence across digital systems (Clark, 2026). However, the growth of generative AI, conversational agents, and algorithmic decision support technologies has introduced new forms of influence that may not be fully captured by existing assessment domains. This paper proposes the Artificial Influence Assessment (AIA) as an expansion of the C.A.S. framework designed to measure AI mediated influence on cognition, behavior, autonomy, and information processing. Drawing on …

How Lesson Type Shapes First-Grade Scienceengagement And Enjoyment, Stella Cybulski, Brooke Towner, Joy James

Journal of Youth Development

Although traditional classroom instruction often emphasizes passive forms of learning, growing evidence highlights the value of active play in promoting curiosity and conceptual development. Grounded in guided play theory, this study investigated how young learners experience science lessons across three instructional contexts: indoor inactive, indoor active, and outdoor active. Thirty-two first-grade students in a Title I laboratory school completed an enjoyment survey and drawing task following each lesson type. Results demonstrated that active play, particularly in outdoor contexts, was associated with higher enjoyment and more dynamic depictions of science learning. Thematic analysis of drawings indicated that students connected more deeply …

Rhode Island Teen Institute Remains Impactful After More Than A Decade Hiatus, Tayla Von Ash, Anusha Gupta, Michael J. Thompson, Jennifer Stevens, Terese Gregg, Sandra Del Sesto

Journal of Youth Development

Rhode Island Teen Institute (RITI) is a 5-day residential program based on the Positive Youth Development approach that exposes participants to intensive training in individual and community advocacy, decision-making, interpersonal communication, and leadership development. Results from prior iterations of RITI (2002-2009) demonstrated that the program was efficacious at improving leadership and other related skills among participants. However, unfortunately due to loss of funding, the program did not run from 2010-2023. The present study assesses the feasibility, acceptability, and preliminary efficacy of the 2023 implementation of RITI after more than a decade-long hiatus. The program was successfully implemented with 44 youth …

Table Of Contents, Journal Of Youth Development

Journal of Youth Development

No abstract provided.

4‑H Efforts Toward Demographic Representation, 1980–2025: Next Directions (Part 2), Jeremy Elliott-Engel, Jeff Wayne Howard

Journal of Youth Development

This article builds on Part 1 of this study, a state-of-the-art review that synthesizes 45 years of scholarship (1980–2025) on 4-H’s efforts to equitably serve a demographically representative youth population (see Elliott-Engel & Howard, 2026). This article examines the findings that draw from the previously discussed 99 articles and provides the next directions for achieving a demographically representative 4-H program by synthesizing crosscutting themes from 45 years of diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging scholarship. Despite meaningful progress, persistent gaps remain in participation, professional readiness, and systemlevel integration. Our review highlights the need for culturally responsive recruitment, familycentered engagement, and program …

Bridges: Youth Organizing In Memphis, Caitlin A. Caswell, Maddie Smith, Elizabeth Thomas

Journal of Youth Development

Youth organizing is a practice that enables young people and adults to work together towards individual thriving and community change. In youth organizing, young people identify and address social issues that affect their lives and lead change related to those issues. The objective of this case study is to illustrate one successful model for youth organizing grounded in positive youth development theory and youth-adult partnership, developed through the organization BRIDGES USA in Memphis, Tennessee. We discuss youth-adult partnerships and elaborate components and strengths of youth organizing. We then describe the history and context of BRIDGES, the cycle of work in …